The next time you need a ride home from happy hour, imagine there's an Uber waiting for you outside before you've requested it or even paid your tab.
The ride-hailing company has filed for a patent on technology that would enable the app to predict riders' habits. The patent was first noted in the newsletters Patent Drop and Expedite. Whether the technology sounds chilling or convenient, a service like this could make Uber a lot of money.
According to a US patent application filed on April 20, Uber wants to patent the ability to predict when users need a ride or meal delivered based on their sensor, app usage, and profile data. Then, Uber could match a driver with that job, invite them to the request, and tell them where they need to be.
So if you commute to your office every Wednesday morning or order ramen for dinner on Thursdays, Uber would anticipate those habits and have a driver ready for your request.
Uber did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
In the filing, this function is called pre-request matching. There are several iterations in which Uber could provide drivers with a user's exact location or a general pickup area. The app would also factor likelihood of a user or driver to cancel a request and would not perform pre-request matching if an area does not have enough drivers to fulfill anticipated requests.
This forecasting tech is just one way Uber uses artificial intelligence to personalize and improve user experience. For example, the app currently uses AI to predict arrival and delivery times, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNBC on Tuesday.
Similarly, many other companies use AI to customize your experience. Netflix uses AI-powered algorithms to suggest what you should watch next, Meta uses AI to determine your age, and Visa is working on technology that nudges cardholders to shop if they've stopped spending, the Patent Drop reported.
Meanwhile, Uber's first-quarter earnings were up 29% year-over-year. According to the company's earnings report, gross bookings were up 19% from a year ago, and its ride-share and delivery apps booked approximately 24 million trips per day on average. Khosrowshahi told CNBC that these numbers signify people continue to spend on services, despite weakened retail sales this year.
Do you work with Uber or have a story to share? Reach out to this reporter at jortakales@insider.com or via Signal encrypted messaging at 646-768-4742.
